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You don’t need us to tell you about how mobile lube systems can enhance the productivity of any preventive maintenance. But to make the most out of your investment, there are several add-on options and attachments that can further increase efficiency and reduce contaminates when performing a mobile oil change. Some people will call them accessories, but around here we like to think of these unsung heroes as “secret weapons”.

These enhancements range from actively managing products in the mobile lube tanks to tackling the more difficult parts of the mobile oil change, such as used filter disposal and fluid transfer to and from bulk tanks.

So, let’s break down a few of our favorite “secret weapons” to help you determine which could be a good fit for your operation.

Filter Stinger™

More than just a cool name, the Filter Stinger™ helps simplify preventive maintenance tasks and protect both the technician and environment from potential exposure. The Filter Stinger attaches to the used oil hose, then is used to puncture the oil filter and suction out the used fluid, placing it directly into a used oil tank. Check out this video to see it in action.

 

Used Filter Receptacle™

The Used Filter Receptacle (UFR)  serves as a trusted sidekick to the Filter Stinger. After the filter is removed it can be placed into a UFR to drain what little fluid is left before being discarded. The UFR provides a secure holding tank for used filters. It connects to a used fluid tank so users can easily vacuum oil collected in the container, providing a secure and leak-proof way to catch remaining fluid that may drain from the discarded filters. For mobile applications, there are several UFR configurations that will match the specific applications. You can choose from top side pack mounted, inside side pack cabinet mounted top open and front door opening UFRs. It’s your UFR, your mobile oil change and your call.

Barrel straw

A key benefit of a mobile lube system, appreciated by every technician in the field, is that it reduces the antiquated practice of manually lifting heavy buckets or jugs when transferring bulk fluids to the equipment. But oil still needs to be transferred from bulk storage to the mobile lube system. Enter the barrel straw. The barrel straw eliminates the need for transfer pumps during bulk oil storage or drum storage transfer. Simply, attach it to the fresh fluid tanks and insert the opposite end in a bulk tank to vacuum fresh fluids into the fluid tank at rates of 10 to 20 gallons per minute. The vacuum process is 100% self-contained within the straw to reduce the chance on any fluid spilling on the ground and your work boots. Words don’t do it justice. Watch it in action.

Bonus: The barrel straw also prevents the fluid’s exposure in open pouring containers. Less handling of new oils translates into less chance of contamination. It is a customer favorite for mobile oil changes.

Oil drain pans

Proper planning also simplifies the oil drain process. Capturing used oil should not be an afterthought. Trying to transfer used oil in a 5-gallon bucket is labor intensive and risks spillage. Sage Oil Vac offers 10- or 17-gallon oil drain pans that quickly connect to all Sage Oil Vac equipment. Used oil can be directly vacuumed through a used oil hose to reduce spillage risk.

 

Even more options to drive productivity

Every preventive maintenance application has its own unique set of challenges. Location, climate and fleet size are just a few of the variables that impact how you approach a mobile oil change. Mobile lube accessories can often tackle some of the more pressing issues. For instance, heated fluid tanks might simplify the task of a mobile oil change when the temperature drops in the northern climates. Meters can ensure equipment is properly filled when technicians are performing oil changes on several different types of equipment throughout the day and grease kits may be a good option for those who perform more than oil changes.

That’s just scratching the surface. Check out the complete line of accessories from Sage Oil Vac to determine what solutions can best increase your PM productivity.

Reliable service and maintenance technicians are often hard to find, putting contractors in a difficult situation when it comes to keeping current with preventive maintenance schedules. Everyone in the construction industry knows the important role preventative maintenance plays in optimizing machine uptime and health. This presents your dealership with the unique opportunity to become the one-stop shop they rely on from sale to service.

Man kneeling at the back of a truck

Offering your customers flexible service options for preventive care is a win-win for your business and theirs. Contractors should be focused on projects that drive revenue, yet they are often distracted by the investment required to maintain the equipment fleet. They end up hiring additional staff or asking members of their team to pull double duty. This often results in the use of sub-optimal tools that may contaminate the very same machines they are trying to protect or create environmental hazards through spilled fluids.

By offering preventive maintenance services to customers and investing in the proper preventive maintenance tools to perform the service correctly and in the most efficient manner possible, you can provide a level of service the customer might not be able to justify internally.

So, what are the reasons establishing dealer preventive maintenance services can help you capitalize on market opportunities? From increased revenue opportunities to building long-lasting customer confidence, there are too many to count. Below we’ll break down our three for dealers, and then you can get a closer look at this comprehensive Preventive Maintenance Guide, which also includes a series of benefits for your customers as well.

Reason 1: You’re the go-to, from sale to service

By offering preventive services, you become a complete equipment solution provider. Your customers can offload their preventative maintenance burden, creating one reliable relationship for their equipment, freeing up more time for them and opportunities for you to generate ongoing revenue.

This not only builds customer loyalty but your customer’s success is closely tied to the profitability of your dealership. While creating preventive maintenance programs for customers can feel overwhelming at first, the process can deepen your relationship with them and create long-lasting relationships.

Sage Oil Vac hoses and fluid pumps

Reason 2: Eliminates customer pain-points

Your customers move as quickly as you do, oftentimes leaving PM as an afterthought. The more efficient you can become at servicing the equipment, and the more diligent to keep them on top of their PM schedules, the greater the potential profit. In a sense, you’re acting on their behalf to make sure their equipment stays in proper order to minimize downtime.

We recognize the challenge with creating any new revenue stream is often that dealers have to convince customers that you can save them time and money in the long run in exchange for a service and or finding the adequate labor to do the work. This also allows you the opportunity to develop programs that are mutually beneficial for you and the customer (see Reason 1 above). These programs can range from offering to handle all routine preventive maintenance over a certain period at a discounted rate to negotiating rates to help maintain their entire fleet of new and used equipment.

Reason 3: Develop a source of quality used equipment

As equipment shortages continue to disrupt the market, ensuring a supply of quality used equipment is beneficial to your dealership. When you handle the customers’ preventive maintenance plans, you know the equipment has been properly cared for and is up to date on all manufacturer-recommended scheduled maintenance. Not to mention, your customers will have peace of mind and confidence in purchasing from your dealership knowing the maintenance has been taken care of on-site. Furthermore, by becoming the customer’s equipment solution provider, it is likely you will get to take this equipment on trade at a fair market value, allowing you to better develop an accurate pricing strategy. Having access to the service records adds value to any used machine.

Finding the Right PM Solution Doesn’t Have to be Complicated

Ranging from skids and trailers up to Class 8 lube bodies, Sage Oil Vac mobile lube equipment is built to meet your dealership’s requirements for tank size and capacity as well as licensing restrictions. The more efficient the lube system, the more oil changes that your dealership can perform every day reducing the need for a high volume of employees to execute this offering. Our pump-free, vacuum system provides efficient fluid exchanges, less mess and ongoing repairs for so you can keep PM schedules moving with a lower cost of ownership.Cat equipment

And who better to speak to the time savings and ROI a reliable mobile lube solution can provide then one of our customers?

Michigan Cat discovered the benefits of investing in a Sage Oil Vac system to assist their preventive maintenance services. They used to transport two 55-gallon barrels of oil to the jobsite for generator maintenance, switching out oil manually and returning used oil barrels to a central shop. This averaged almost three hours per oil change. After investing in a Sage 1C5F-2100 preventive maintenance trailer, the Michigan CAT techs were able to complete the same task in 69 minutes. This left technicians with enough time to conduct an extra oil change every day. With this increased efficiency, you can make a profit performing preventive lube services while exceeding customer expectations.

Contact us today to learn how we can turn your dealership into a PM profit center. And don’t forget to check out the comprehensive guide that breaks down the benefits in more detail.

Summer’s longer days bring increased pressure to keep machines running with as little downtime as possible. That means mobile lube systems and proper maintenance are crucial. Uptime directly translates into productivity and, ultimately, your success. And let’s face it, at the end of the day, anything you can do to keep machines running contributes to the bottom line.

Using conventional, mechanical pump-based systems to change oil on the jobsite can be time consuming. Sometimes that extra time paired with the pressure to keep machines running makes delaying preventive maintenance (PM) tempting. But that’s a recipe for downtime and costly repairs. On the other hand, Sage Oil Vac pump-free vacuum technology removes used oil and dispenses fresh oil safely and quickly. It’s so much faster than competing mechanical-pump technologies that you’ll be able to service more units per day.

If you’re on the hunt for the right system to handle a busy summer of PM, start by asking yourself the three questions below. Already have a Sage Oil Vac mobile lube system? Check out our summer maintenance checklist.

3 questions to ask when choosing the right PM system to handle the summer grind

 

1. Does the system solve or add more challenges to summer PM?

Conventional systems often require a pump for each product tank. The more product tanks required, the more chances for leaks or pump failures. Failing pumps that need to be replaced or rebuilt are typical on conventional lube equipment with diaphragm or air-pump-driven systems. The versatile Sage Oil Vac system has no pumps to maintain, and the simplified plumbing is virtually problem free.

2. Which system features and capabilities make PM more efficient?

For starters, each Sage Oil Vac mobile lube system offers a digital meter to ensure you quickly fill a machine with the proper amount of fluid. Certain meters offer preset functions that allow you to set the amount of oil needed to refill the tank, so no more underfilling or overfilling. For added telematics, the optional NextLube monitor system (available for truck and skid models) allows operators to integrate data while automating fluid control, all through centralized controls from an easy-to-use panel. How do real-time inventory of fluid levels and tank labels tanks sound? Pretty efficient and accurate, if you ask us.

3. Is the system designed with operator safety and cleanliness in mind?

The Sage Oil Vac enclosed, pump-free system protects the technician and the environment, as tanks are not vented into the atmosphere. Clean, sealed tanks prevent contaminants from being introduced into fresh fluids (and mean less spillage on the job). As an added benefit, we offer a variety of optional attachments for our systems that help maintain a clean jobsite.

 

Your PM Equipment Needs PM Too: Here’s Your Summer Maintenance Checklist

The uptime of your lube equipment itself impacts the number of machines you can service. Your Sage Oil Vac system needs its own PM to handle the PM demands of the busy season. Here’s a handy checklist to help keep your mobile lube equipment systems running smoothly.

Download and print this checklist

Taking a few proactive actions now can keep the equipment running when it matters most. Don’t get caught on the sidelines when the season heats up. Still deciding which system is right for you? Check out our product selector.

Many times, people don’t realize how much profitability is left on the table to extra labor costs, machine downtime and lost productivity if they don’t follow best practices for preventive maintenance. A worst-case scenario would be a crew standing around waiting for a machine that has suffered a catastrophic failure. While not every machine breakdown can be avoided, following regular preventive maintenance schedules greatly reduces the likelihood of significant machine failures.

Whether you have a construction or rental business or are on the dealership side, you’ll find that Sage Oil Vac mobile lube systems are designed to help you limit downtime and boost your bottom line.

Here are 5 key preventive maintenance advantages you get with Sage Oil Vac equipment.

1. Reduced transport costs and more timely preventive maintenance

Performing preventive equipment maintenance directly on the jobsite offers significant advantages. For starters, waiting for machines to return to the yard for maintenance can translate into missed or delayed service intervals, placing machine reliability at risk. Servicing equipment while it is in the field also yields time and transportation savings. The financial benefit really depends on your approach to mobile lube service and, ultimately, on which mobile lube system you use.

2. Better use of technicians’ time

Service and maintenance technicians are difficult to find, so you want to ensure the best use of their time. The pump-free Sage Oil Vac vacuum-operated system is much quicker than a traditional pump system, which means a technician can complete more oil changes per day — saving you money on labor.

Consider this real-life example. Michigan CAT documented their actual time savings while servicing a group of power generators in Michigan’s lower peninsula. This job required the removal and replacement of 110 gallons of oil for each machine. Using a conventional, pump-driven system — typically delivering two 55-gallon barrels of oil to the jobsite, switching out oil manually, and returning used oil barrels to a central shop — Michigan CAT service technicians averaged almost three hours per oil change. Each generator oil change took about three hours. After switching to a Sage Oil Vac 1C5F-2100 preventive maintenance trailer, this time was slashed to 69 minutes!

3. Less time maintaining lube equipment

Most mobile lube equipment manufacturers use mechanical pumps to transfer fluids, which require regular maintenance and repair. And, since each tank on a mobile lube system has a diaphragm and a mechanical pump, maintenance and repair needs for these systems can be time-consuming and costly, especially when you consider equipment downtime. The Sage Oil Vac system uses compressed air to push oil out of the tank — no pump required. To empty used oil out of tanks, you simply reverse the process to create a vacuum within the tank.

The time it takes to maintain your mobile lube system takes away from the time you spend performing preventive maintenance on your production machinery. Every minute your equipment is down for service, it costs you money. The Sage Oil Vac system is designed to get you up and running more quickly. This allows you to maximize equipment utilization rates and increase the return on your investment.

4. Lowered system operating expenses

Some mobile lube systems are more costly to operate due to their design. For instance, conventional diaphragm pumps and air piston pumps require a constant volume of air for the air compressor. Running an air compressor to operate a mobile lube system consumes fuel and increases maintenance costs. The Sage Oil Vac system reduces air compressor run time by up to 70% over a conventional system. We recommend shutting off the compressor when the used oil tank has a full vacuum and the fresh oil system is pressured to 80 psi. This reduces wear and tear, noise and fuel consumption.

5. Stays clean

Sage Oil Vac’s enclosed systems prevent contamination, which is the enemy of any tight tolerance and is costly to replace failed components. For instance, hydraulic systems continue to use tighter tolerances for higher performance, which demands close attention to oil cleanliness and best handling practices. Any significant contamination will significantly reduce equipment life.

And, since Sage Oil Vac systems use patented vacuum technology and have no moving parts inside the tanks, they are completely sealed. There is no opportunity for contamination to enter the lubricant tanks. On the contrary, mechanical pump systems require air-breathers to vent tanks, which can lead to contamination over time.

Choose the right solution for your business

Sage Oil Vac offers a wide range of solutions to ensure you get the right lube system to match your needs. To find your most efficient solution, consider mobility, system/tank sizes, CDL requirements, pump type and accessories needed to make the job go smoothly. Mobile lube systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Sage Oil Vac options range from lube carts, skid trailers and lube bodies to our fully customized LubeBuilder™ system, and from tanks to reels and everything in between.

Finding the best solution for your needs helps drive efficiency. For instance, a large lube truck may allow you to service more equipment before returning to the shop, but a non-CDL truck under 26,000 pounds will broaden your pool of service technicians since it doesn’t require a CDL to operate.

A mobile lube system can be beneficial to your overall success. They can help you improve productivity and work more efficiently. But not all mobile lube systems are created equal. The pump-free Sage Oil Vac system is designed to maximize your bottom line. View the complete line of Sage Oil Vac mobile lube solutions, and talk to your dealer to see which system is right for you.

Sage Oil Vac is a true American success story rooted in innovation and the determination to find a better way. In the early 90s, Gary Sage was a farmer looking for a better way to change oil in his irrigation equipment without spilling oil on himself or the ground. This led to the creation of the first oil vac system in 1993, an innovation that quickly caught the attention of neighboring farmers as the system was not only cleaner, but faster than conventional pump-driven systems.

Demand quickly grew as Gary’s farm employees cut, welded, painted and assembled the mobile oil change equipment in the farm off-season. “Orders taken in the spring and summer would be built after wheat harvest in July, and then the major building season was after corn harvest in the fall,” he recalls. “The timing made it difficult to appease the growing customer demand that expected the units to be on the ground or available with a short lead time.”

Additionally, not all of the career farmhands were keen on participating in the manufacturing business during the off-season. Their expertise didn’t necessarily translate into manufacturing skills.

Sage Oil Vac 1995 Unit

Taking A Risk

Demand continued to grow as Gary attempted to keep pace. And in the fall of ’99, a customer order changed the trajectory and set the stage for Sage Oil Vac to become a major player in the mobile lube system business.

Gary’s largest customer at the time, Western Marketing, a lubricant distributor in west Texas, had been ordering one or two units at a time for about two or three years in the late 90s. They would let their customers use the Sage Oil Vac units for free, if their customers bought lubricants from them.

This became a very popular program for the oil distributor and as a result, the company needed more systems. And while Gary was in the midst of fall corn harvest, the owner called and wanted eight of the largest oil vac units as fast as he could get them.

New Markets Drives Growth

The Western Marketing order helped Gary realize the Sage Oil Vac product could find use in many other markets. Any machine with oil that needed to be changed in a mobile setting could benefit from the product. To serve this market, Gary decided to transform Sage Oil Vac into a full-time manufacturing business. In 2001, he established a full-time shop dedicated to fabricating oil systems in Amarillo, Texas.

Sage Oil Vac’s mission to supply mobile oil change equipment paired perfectly with the emergence of the domestic wind power industry.  “Amarillo, Texas is the windiest city in the United States, and many wind turbines were being put up in and around the land of the same irrigated farmers that we were supplying oil vac systems to for their irrigation engines,” says Gary. A trip to deliver a system to a farmer in southwest Kansas gave him the opportunity to visit a Florida power and light wind farm with 60 turbines. He simply walked into the maintenance office and asked to speak with the site lead.

At the time, there was not an efficient way to change the 80 gallons of 320-weight gear oil in each gearbox located in the nacelle at the top of the wind turbine.

“We worked with this company to develop the first Sage Oil Vac GOEX system for wind energy and demonstrated the system just 18 months later,” explains current CEO Aaron Sage, who took over the business from his father in 2016. “It fit within our mission and there was a need. Today we ship this system all over the world.”

By exploring every opportunity that could benefit from a mobile lube system, Sage Oil Vac continued to thrive. In 2004, the company secured a game-changing partnership with the U.S. Army Reserves. It allowed Sage Oil Vac to double its annual revenue in one order. “Although not a big purchase for the Army Reserves, it was the difference in Sage Oil Vac being able to take the business to the next level,” recalls Aaron.

Sage Oil Vac Navy SeeBee Units 2004

Overcoming Design Challenges

One manufacturing challenge that Sage Oil Vac has faced over the years is adapting the original design to the different applications where mobile oil change equipment is needed. Traditional lube equipment uses rectangular tanks, optimized for size and space to meet each customer’s needs. The vacuum and pressure used to operate the oil vac system called for a rounded tank.

Rounded pressure tanks are heavier than thin-walled atmospheric steel, aluminum, or plastic tanks. This presents weight challenges in some applications. “However, our system does not have pumps, so we offset much, if not all of the tank weight difference by eliminating the pump,” says Sage.

The design of the Sage Oil Vac system eliminates the maintenance associated with pumps on conventional mobile lube systems.  Instead, the system relies on sealed tanks that hold pressure and vacuum with no leaks, for years. “Customers appreciate the 10-year+ cycle of a system because of the few moving parts,” says Aaron.

Taking control of quality

Another unique attribute of the business is that Sage Oil Vac does not rely on outside vendors to control the quality of its products. Critical components of Sage products are built in-house. “In 2021 the most important component, the tank, began to transition in-house, which provides control over the quality and design of the workhorse of the Sage Oil Vac product offering,” says Aaron. “The frames for the units are also designed, engineered, and built in our facility.”

All tanks on every system are pressure-checked three times – once before tank plumbing, once after tank plumbing, and again upon the final checklist of final completion. “We have never had a tank that failed in the field,” notes Aaron.

Positioned for the future

Sage Oil Vac has experienced exponential growth in brand awareness. Simultaneously, the sales team has worked hard to recruit and grow dealers as well as cross-promote and develop relationships in the truck equipment industry, resulting in large repeating key accounts in the heavy equipment maintenance industry. This has well-positioned the company for continued growth, which has included an acquisition of a steel tank manufacturer in March 2021, now under the name Amarillo Tanks.

Sage is focused on improving manufacturing efficiency. There is an initiative to move the business away from one-off customer projects dominating the product mix, to the repetitive building of a set product offering. This has moved the mix from 60% custom to 20% custom in the last five years.

The stage has been set for Sage Oil Vac to continue its gains and the company is positioned for strong growth in the next five years. “We will do this by listening to the customer, adapting our existing product to the changing world of how on-site fluid maintenance is handled, as well as developing new products that fit within our mission and can serve customers in the markets they are in,” adds Aaron.

To read more about what sets Sage Oil Vac apart from the competition, head over here.

Earth Day provides an opportunity to reflect on what we all can do to protect the planet from pollution. Fortunately, when it comes to servicing mobile construction machinery, there are solutions that can simultaneously protect our natural resources and bolster the bottom line. At the end of the day, the goal should be to service equipment on the jobsite without spilling critical lubricants in the most efficient manner possible.

The antiquated practice of transporting oil in five-gallon buckets has made it nearly impossible not to contaminate the ground and get oil almost everywhere. Buckets often end up tipped over and rolling around the bed of the service truck. It’s still all too common of a sight.

Sage Oil Vac offers a solution that packs a one-two environmental punch, where spills become a thing of the past while you cut fuel usage and labor costs. It is a win/win scenario for any contractor who relies on yellow iron to earn a living.

THE PATH TO A SUSTAINABLE OIL CHANGE SOLUTION

For many customers, the standard maintenance practice of changing oil evolved into much more sophisticated lube exchange systems that rely on conventional diaphragm and air piston pumps for fluid exchange. While this was a step in the right direction, in 1993 Gary Sage was seeking a better solution for servicing his irrigation systems. His goal was not a single drop of oil spilled on himself, the equipment or the ground.

The result was the Sage Oil Vac line of oil change products which use vacuum pressure technology and compressed air. To this day, from space-saving lube carts to class 8 lube trucks, Gary’s pump-free design is improving cleanliness and efficiency while eliminating maintenance issues common with pump-driven systems.

“Most lube equipment manufacturers use mechanical pumps, which have several drawbacks,” notes Gary’s son and current Sage Oil Vac CEO Aaron Sage. “Maintenance and repair are the most significant ones. Failing pumps that need to be replaced or rebuilt are typical. A more reliable fluid system option is vacuum technology, such as what Sage provides. It uses compressed air to push oil out of the tank, with no pump required. Another benefit is that it’s a faster process than with a mechanical pump, which allows technicians to service more units a day.”

MEETING THE NEEDS OF A CHANGING INDUSTRY

The drive toward sustainability is changing the way construction contracts are awarded. You now must evaluate every aspect of how you conduct business to stand out from the competition. This includes how you maintain equipment on the jobsite.

Changing oil doesn’t have to be a dirty job and in some cases, it cannot be a dirty job. Many project owners now require no-spill jobsites, with a growing trend towards zero tolerance for any spills. With large construction equipment and Class 8 trucks that can hold 12 or more gallons of engine oil each, this can be an intimidating undertaking.

By utilizing a Sage Oil Vac system in conjunction with the 100% enclosed fluid exchange of a drain plug, the technician can connect directly to the engine sump. Oil is exchanged directly into the Sage used oil tank, removing the risk for spills on a no-spill jobsite.

In addition to preventing spills, fuel savings from Sage Oil Vac equipment is also a win for the environment and your pocketbook. Conventional diaphragm and air piston pump systems require constant air volume from a compressor to run. The compressor must run 100% of the time. Not only does this lead to wasting fuel, but it also results in a lot more wear and tear.

Sage Oil Vac systems also conserve air by creating and maintaining vacuum pressure within the tanks. The tanks can be pressurized with compressors you keep at the shop or on the jobsite with a gas-powered compressor that can be added to your system. Once you achieve the necessary pressure to dispense new oils, the compressor can be turned off. This allows Sage systems to reduce air compressor runtime by up to 70% over conventional systems.

This saves fuel and equates to less wear and tear. Another key consideration is that less noise pollution is created when the compressor is not running, which leads to less fatigue for the technicians at the end of the day.

Sage also offers standalone power for its lube trucks. By using a small diesel engine mounted on the truck body to run hydraulics for the fuel pump and the air compressor versus the traditional PTO, the truck can be shut off to save hours and maintenance costs.

TAILORED SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY OPERATION

Sage Oil Vac offers a full line of environmentally friendly, reliable and efficient mobile lube exchange solutions to fit the ever-changing needs of your operation. Check out our product selector to find which is the right option to meet your jobsite maintenance demands.

People count on Alex Hochstein. He’s factory-trained on generator and engine repair — a rare combination of skills for one person. At his business Amarillo Industrial Mobile Maintenance (AIMM), he is essentially on call 24/7 to maintain and repair standby generators for customers ranging from hospitals and nursing homes to pig farms and dairies. His ability to provide service to his customers could quite literally mean the difference between life and death in some situations.

Hochstein is always available to work on generators, but when the weather gets bad, that’s when he gets really busy. Snowstorms, hard freezes, flash floods and other weather events mean it’s go-time for standby generators in Hochstein’s service area, which spans from the northern panhandle into parts of Kansas and Colorado. Last year, winter storm Uri caused catastrophic blackouts across Texas, with more than 69% of Texans losing power. Hochstein rose to the challenge and worked for 48 hours straight to ensure his customers had power.

Someone this dedicated to his customers’ needs must have equipment he can rely on. That’s why Hochstein has trusted equipment from Sage Oil Vac for nearly 20 years. Hochstein’s relationship with Sage Oil Vac started in the early 2000s when he rented a service lube skid. He loved how it worked, so he keeps coming back as his business grows and his mobile lube equipment needs grow alongside it. He bought his first lube skid seven or eight years ago, and upgraded to a 380 PM Trailer last spring.

Generator maintenance equipment built for the job

With his 380 PM, Hochstein can work nonstop all day without worrying about having to transfer oil or stop for refills. With longer hoses in different sizes and increased tank capacities, the 380 PM makes Hochstein’s job easier. “I plan to use my trailer until I retire. But if my workload increases, I won’t think twice about purchasing another one,” Hochstein said.

In addition to being happy with all the equipment he’s gotten from Sage Oil Vac, Hochstein is more than satisfied with his relationship with the company and the service he’s received. “We’ve had a great relationship over the years. Sage Oil Vac has helped immensely with my business routine,” he said. “I’ve been happy with the process and the whole flow of things when I’ve bought their equipment.”

Customized for maximum efficiency in emergencies

In addition to the standard five hoses that come on his lube trailer, Hochstein added a 20-foot wrapped hose to onload oil with a ball valve that is permanently connected to the fresh oil tank with a camlock. He also added a fourth reel to keep his offload hose handy. He’s gone through 26 drums of oil in less than six months, so these customizations to his 380 PM make it work even better for his business.

Hochstein also gets a lot of use out of the filter stinger, Used Filter ReceptacleTM (UFR) and digital preset meter. The filter stinger attachment makes the filter-draining process easier and cleaner than ever before with its ability to suction out used oil directly into the used oil tank. Once the filter is removed, Hochstein places it in the Sage-invented UFR. The UFR provides a secure and leakproof holding tank for the used filter to drain what little fluid is left. It connects to a used fluid tank so he can easily vacuum oil that may drain from the discarded filter.

The digital preset meter lets Hochstein see how much oil is in the equipment tank and set the amount needed to fill the tank. Hochstein said, “It all works great and has really sped up the pace of things.”

When it comes to having the right equipment to serve his customers, Hochstein said he’d never consider anything but Sage Oil Vac. “Reliability has been phenomenal and the pumpless system is the kicker.”

Busy season is just around the corner, so now is the time to make sure your mobile lube equipment is ready to work hard. Follow this comprehensive preseason maintenance checklist to help keep your equipment, accessories and work environment safe and reliable.

Air compressors

It’s crucial to maintain your Sage Oil Vac unit’s air compressor. Follow the recommended maintenance schedules for the engine and the compressor pump.


Sage Tip: Operating your Sage Oil Vac continuously with the used oil tank completely full could result in a large amount of used oil accumulating within the compressor heads and air tanks. To avoid this, it’s important to unload the used oil tank before it exceeds 95% of its capacity.

Ball valves 

Cam locks

Filters

Hose reels

Hoses

Hydraulic connections

Lug nuts


Sage Tip: Keep a record of the date and approximate mileage of your last torque check somewhere on or inside your equipment. Make note of any lug nuts that are loose and investigate why. If a lug nut becomes loose after retightening, something is wrong with it, the studs, wheels and/or hubs and must be corrected. 

Meters

Running lights

Tires

Sage Oil Vac tanks 

Wheel bearings 


Sage Tip: Incompatible greases can break each other down. Make sure new grease is compatible with the old. If not, remove the old grease completely.

>> Download and print this checklist

 

Take inventory to boost efficiency

Before the busy season starts is also a good time to find ways to boost your efficiency. Consider adding new machinery or upgrading accessories to your existing equipment. Contact your Sage Oil Vac dealer for any of your product needs and with any questions about preseason maintenance.

FIELD SERVICE PROVIDERS BUILD A BUSINESS AROUND THE INDUSTRY’S LATEST TECHNOLOGY.

As telematics integration works its way across the equipment manufacturing sector, a common issue many fleet managers face is learning how to incorporate different telematic platforms and developing ways to use all the data to care for their assets. Employing telematics seems like an overwhelming task for many companies with a wide range of equipment and vehicles in their fleet. Most are trying to navigate a shortage of skilled labor for service technicians while juggling busy workloads. There simply just isn’t enough time in a week to process the data and stay on top of all the preventive maintenance and field service schedules of the equipment in their fleet.

Chris Britt and Ed Heinz, founders of Mobile Equipment Service Options (M.E.S.O.) recognized that while telematics could help companies maximize the life of their equipment, most fleet managers didn’t have the time to do it all themselves. So, in 2014, they started M.E.S.O., a mobile service company that monitors the health of its customers’ equipment fleets and proactively provides field service when needed.

“From customer-owned truck, trailer, and equipment fleets; utility, oil and gas, industrial, and equipment rental companies; and large contractors to equipment manufacturers, establishing a dedicated service team and creating a proactive approach to service can be a daunting and expensive undertaking,” said Britt, president/CEO of M.E.S.O.. “For most companies with a large fleet of equipment, it’s more efficient to hire out preventive maintenance and on-the-job service/repair work. But unfortunately, most fleet managers still require some manual internal tracking for the company, and a phone call. Ed and I knew there had to be a better way. What if fleet managers didn’t have to keep track of machine hours/mileage? What if they didn’t have to schedule service? What if we could use our customers’ machine telematics to simplify the whole process for them?”

Of course, to capitalize on all equipment data and make their business concept a reality, M.E.S.O.’s founders also understood they needed field-efficient service vehicles, which included a mobile lube system that would allow their team to perform routine fluid exchanges as quickly and cleanly as possible.

FINDING SUCCESS FOR FLEET SERVICE

Britt and Heinz tested their business concept when they opened their first location in East Liverpool, Ohio, and deployed the first service truck. This new technology-driven service model quickly gained market acceptance, and M.E.S.O. has expanded its operating territory beyond Ohio into Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and West Virginia.

Heinz explained it hasn’t been easy to grow the business to where it is today. “We’ve had to spend a lot of time perfecting the process of collecting equipment telematics data. We also had to develop software processes for our service technicians to communicate quickly and efficiently with fleet managers, so they still have 100% ownership of all the work we’re doing on their behalf. And finally, we had to work on our own fleet of equipment to ensure our highly skilled field technicians had everything they needed to perform their job to the highest of standards in the shortest amount of time possible,” he explained.

FINE-TUNING THE FIELD SERVICE VEHICLE

While using Internet of Things (IoT)-based technology is the future of their business, M.E.S.O. understands that when their service technician arrives at a site, the clock is ticking. “While we try to work around the schedules of our customers, the first question we usually get asked onsite is, ‘How long will a piece of equipment or truck be down?'” said Britt. “We understand any downtime is wasted time and impacts profitability. Our goal is and always will be to keep service times to a minimum. To make that happen, we have explored all the different ways to perform oil changes and top off fluid levels, since those are the most common preventive maintenance needs.”

After trying out other mobile lube systems at CONEXPO/AGG in 2017, Britt and Heinz walked into the Sage Oil Vac booth. “We were just on the tail end of winter, and several of our service technicians were concerned about how some of their piston pump lube systems were performing in the cold weather,” said Britt. “They were running slow, and in some cases, freezing up in the extreme cold. Compounding the issue with our current mobile lube systems was access on some jobsites. The systems’ hoses weren’t long enough, and, in most cases, we couldn’t pull our trucks up closer to the machine.

“What we saw in the Sage Oil Vac booth was different, though,” Britt continued. “They designed mobile lube systems that use air to drain and refill fluids. This type of design eliminates the possibility of a pump freezing up and can efficiently pump fluids over longer distances since hose capacities are not limited by the size of the pump involved.”

CUSTOM LUBE SYSTEM

Upon returning from the show, M.E.S.O. ordered a 5120V Heritage Lube Skid with a 120-gallon waste tank, four, 80-gallon fresh oil tanks and a 50’ (15-m) hose reel. After using for a few years, Britt and Heinz added to their fleet with a custom lube skid build with a 60-gallon (227-L) waste oil tank, two, 30-gallon (114-L) fresh oil and grease tanks and a 50-foot (15-m) hose reel. Since then, M.E.S.O. has added eight additional Sage Oil Vac mobile lube skids with similar configurations, and plans to add at least one additional system every month through 2022. These custom lube systems have a low-profile design and a separate reel cabinet.

“We decided to go with a skid-mounted system because we tend to swap out trucks more than we need to replace lube systems,” said Britt. “A low-profile system was also an important aspect for us since we like to be able to have an enclosure over the top of the truck bed. The team at Sage Oil Vac worked with us through the process and came up with a customized system to match our specific needs.”

One unique request M.E.S.O. had was designing a lube system where the hose reels could be mounted separately from the skid with the waste oil tank and fresh oil tank. “The M.E.S.O. team wanted to give their service technicians the ability to access the hose from the side of the truck bed, instead of from the back,” said Chance Castillo, corporate sales manager for Sage Oil Vac. “After meeting with their team, we developed a new lube system configuration that would accommodate this request. In addition to allowing the reels to be mounted separately, this design keeps the skid profile as short and low as possible so they can maximize the usage of all available truck bed space.”

BETTER TECHNICIAN AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

M.E.S.O.’s original goal of engaging the Sage Oil Vac team to create a customized mobile lube system was to allow their service technicians to operate in colder temps and where access is challenging. However, after putting their fleet of mobile lube systems out in the field, they realized several other benefits of the Sage Oil Vac lube system design. “It is extremely competitive right now to hire and retain skilled service technicians,” said Britt. “I believe equipping our service trucks with best-in-class equipment like Sage Oil Vac lube systems has helped us retain our service technicians and hire more qualified individuals. With the Sage Oil Vac system, oil changes are safer and less labor intensive, with less mess than traditional methods. This adds up to our service technicians being able to do more work efficiently and safely each day. Furthermore, the whole process is much cleaner than traditional methods, so our guys go home with cleaner shirts, pants and hands. Who doesn’t want a job like that?”

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE OF TELEMATICS

Developing a better process to make managing telematics data is helping M.E.S.O. to grow their business while helping their customers grow their businesses, too. Pairing that thinking with the industry’s most advanced mobile lube systems is allowing M.E.S.O. continues to grow its team and operating territory.

To learn more about M.E.S.O. and its services, visit Mesoinc.net. For more information about Sage Oil Vac mobile lube solutions, visit sageoilvac.com.

Our stance has never wavered: The Sage Oil Vac pump-free design is the foundation of a better fluid exchange system — a faster, safer and cleaner way to change oil and fluids on your jobsite.

There are, of course, some skeptics. Systems featuring air-operated diaphragm pumps (AODPs) and air piston pumps have provided a dependable means of changing oil and fluids for decades. Proponents of these systems question whether there is truly a performance advantage to a system that uses compressed air to build vacuum pressure that moves fluids to and from tanks.

The Advantage of a pump-free fluid exchange system

Our response: There is a HUGE advantage with the Sage Oil Vac pump-free design.

Of course, don’t just take our sales pitch as gospel. We put the two systems to the test. Sage Oil Vac versus the competition. Conventional pump-dependent systems pitted against our patented design. May the best fluid exchange system prevail.

 This comparison took place in a controlled setting, therefore the results for either system may vary in real application based on weather conditions and other variables, like viscosity and temperature.

Challenge No. 1: Removing used oil

The first fluid exchange system showdown featured a Sage Oil Vac system and one using air-operated diaphragm pumps to remove five gallons of used oil.

Challenge No. 2: Dispensing fresh oil

For the second showdown, we bulk-filled 10 gallons of oil into each skid (a Sage Oil Vac skid and one fluid exchange system using an air piston pump) and performed an oil change on an engine that holds five gallons of oil.

Conclusion

The results speak volumes. Whether you are removing used oil or fluids or bulk-filling fresh oil or fluids into your equipment, Sage Oil Vac pump-free fluid exchange systems are faster and more efficient. Plus, they provide a cleaner way to change fluids, greatly reducing the chances of spills or contamination.

The Sage Oil Vac fluid exchange system vs. the compeition

See our pump-free fluid exchange system for yourself

Watch the Oil and Fluid Exchange System Showdown to see how our system prevailed over competitive models.

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